Stabilizer for vehicles



May 21, 1935. H. HOME STABILIZER FOR VEHICLES Filed April 9. 19:54

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inventor $74 Q mzzzu,

Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 9, 1934, Serial No. 719,794 In Germany April 15, 1933 6 Claims (01. 267-11) absorber is employed at each side of the vehicle with means for the passage of the working liquid from each working chamber of one shock-absorber to the opposite co-operating one of the working chambers of the other shock-absorber. The arrangement is such that a relative movement of the sprung and unsprung parts at one side of the vehicle produces a similar movement at the other side of the vehicle so that rolling or tilting of the vehicle, for instance when jolted or when taking curves, is minimized and the tendency of road vehicles to skid under such circumstances is prevented. 7 An object of the present invention is to provide adevice of this type which, at low speeds of travel when rolling and jolting is not usually violent, only acts as a simple shock-absorber, the full stabilizingaction only becoming operative at the higher speeds of travel at which it is necessary to prevent rolling. I According to the present invention, there is provided a hydraulic stabilizing device of the type described wherein a constricted by-pass is provided between the working chambers of the two shock-absorbers and preferably means is employed adjustable at will for controlling the fiow through the by-pass. Thus at low speeds the liquid flows easily through the by-pass but at high speeds the resistance to the flow of the liquid through the controlling means is very much higher and the full stabilizing action is obtained.

In one form of the device an adjustable needle valve is provided to control the flow of liquid through the by-pass, this valve being pre-set according to the prevailing conditions. In another construction a valve in the form of an adjustable labyrinth packing is employed in the by-pass. r

In the accompanying drawing illustrating specific embodiments of the invention by way of example,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of one construction of the stabilizing device,

Figure 2 is a detail of Figure 1 on a larger scale, and

Figure 3 shows a shock-absorber of modified construction.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing,

there are provided two shock-absorbers S mounted one at each side of the chassis of the vehicle. Each of the shock-absorbers comprises two working chambers A-B and (3-D, each working chamber having a piston T working therein. The pistons of each shock-absorber S are connected to opposite ends of an arm U rigidly mounted at the centre on a. spindle V. The spindle V extends to the exterior of the shock-absorber and is rigidly connected to an arm E which latter is connected by a link e to an unsprung part of the vehicle, such as the road-wheel axle.

The working chamber A is connected by means of a pipe F to the opposite working chamber 0 of the other shock-absorber and the working chamber B is similarly connected by'means of a pipe G to the working chamber D. Each of the shock-absorbers S is provided with an auxiliary chamber X communicating with the working chambers above the cylinders and the auxiliary chambers of the two shock-absorbers are connected by means of an equalizing conduit H.

Between the workingchambers A and D there is provided a by-pass K having a control valve (1 conveniently mounted on the working chamber D. This valve (1 comprises a bore d communicating with the working chamber and having a conical portion d extending to an enlarged portion d in communication with the by-pass K. An adjustable needle valve L has a conical surface I co-operating with the bore d for controlling the passage of the fluid along the by-pass K.

In operation, when, owing to a jolt or a turning movement, the vehicle tends to be tilted, there is a corresponding movement of the pistons in their working chambers, and the working fluid is forced from the shock-absorber at one side of the vehicle to that on the other side in such a manner as to minimize tilting and stabilize the vehicle. For instance, if by reason of. centrifugal action when the vehicle is taking a curve, the shockabsorber S at the left-hand side of Figure l is lowered with respect to the road-wheels, the piston T in the working chamber C is moved downwards and forces the oil in this working chamber through the pipe F'to the working chamber A of the other shock-absorber, thus lowering the vehicle on this side in a substantially corresponding manner to maintain the stability of the vehicle. This operation is modified at low speeds of travel by the by-pass K and the liquid which is forced into the Working chamber A instead of being operative upon the piston therein flows back through the by-pass K to the working chamber D so that no stabilizing action is produced, but only an action tending to absorb the shock by reason of the oil having to flow from the working chamber C to the working chamber D. When the Vehicle is travelling at high speeds the jolting or tilting action is comparatively violent and the working liquid which tends to be forced through the bypass K at a much higher velocity sets up a considerably greater resistance to its travel through the control valve L due to eddying of the liquid so that for all practical purposes the by-pass K is, in efiect, closed in these circumstances and the device operates as hereinbefore described to produce the full stabilizing action. The pipe H serves to equalize the distribution of the working liquid which may leak past the pistons in the shock-absorbers.

In the alternative construction shownin Figure 3, the by-pass is arranged directly between the two working chambers of the shock-absorber. Referring to Figure 3, the two working chambers A and B are connected by a bore m in a boss M by means of a port m and m respectively. A metering pin N formed with grooves 12 is screwed into the bore m and a helical spring R bearing on the end of the stud N prevents unintentional. roe tation thereof due to vibration. The operation is the same as that described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2; the grooved stud N ofiers little or no resistance to the gentle flow of working liquid at low speeds of travel, but, gives rise to a considerable resistance to the flow or" the working liquid at high speeds, this resistance being augmerited by'the spring R which tends to make the liquid eddy in the bore 172 I claim:

l. A stabilizing device for vehicles, comprising two double-acting hydraulic shock-absorbers, mounted one at each side of the vehicle, operating means connecting said shock-absorbers with an unsprung part oi'the vehicle, each of said shockabsorbers comprising two working chambers, conduits connecting the working chambers of one shock-absorber with the opposite working chambers of the other shock-absorber, and a constricted by-pass open to flow in both directions and connected between two of said Working chambers not connected by one of said conduits.

2. A stabilizing device for vehicles, comprising two double-acting hydraulic shock-absorbers, mounted one at each side of the vehicle, operat-, ing means connecting said shock-absorbers with an unsprung part of the vehicle, each of said shock-absorbers comprising two working chambers, conduits connecting the working chambers of one shock-absorber with the opposite working chambers of the other shock-absorber, a bypass connected between two of said working chambers not connected by one of said conduits and an adjustable throttle valve in said by-pass.

3. A stabilizing device for vehicles, comprising two double-acting hydraulic shock-absorbers, mounted one at each side of the vehicle, operating means connecting said shock-absorbers with an unsprung part of the vehicle, each of said shock-absorbers comprising two working chambers, conduits connecting the working chambers of one shock-absorber with the opposite working chambers of the other shock-absorber, a by-pass connected between two of said working chambers not connected by one of said conduits and .an adjustable needle valve in said by-pass.

4. A stabilizing device for vehicles, comprising two double-acting hydraulic shock-absorbers, mounted one at each side of the vehicle, operating means connecting said shock-absorbers with an unsprung part of the vehicle, each of said shock-absorbers comprising two working chambers, conduits connecting the working chambers of one shock-absorber with the opposite working chambers of the other shock-absorber, a bypass connected between two of said working chambers not connected by one of said conduits,a grooved metering pin in said by-pass and means for optionally adjusting said pin to control the flow of liquid through said by-pass.

5. A stabilizing device for vehicles, comprising two double-acting hydraulic shock-absorbers, mounted one at each side of the vehicle, operating means connecting'said shock-absorbers with an unsprung part of the vehicle, each of said shock-absorbers comprising two working chambers, conduits connecting the working chambers of one shock-absorber with the opposite working chambers of the other shock-absorber, a by-pass connected between two of said working chambers not connected by one of said conduits, an adjustable throttle valve in said by-pass, an auxiliary chamber in each of said shock-absorbers and an equalizing conduit connecting the auxiliary chambers of the two shock-absorbers.

-6. A stabilizing device foryehicles, comprising two double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers, mounted one at each side of the vehicle operating means connecting said shock absorbers with an unsprung part of the vehicle, each of said shock absorbers comprising two working chambers, conduits connecting the working chambers of one shock absorber with the opposite working chambers of the other shock absorber, a by-pass connecting one working chamber of one shock absorber with that-working chamber of the other shock absorber which is not connected to the former by one of said conduits, and an adjustable throttle valve in said by-passs.

HUGO HCME. 

